The History of Kaizendo Fitness

Kaizendo : is a Japanese term for the way of constant and never ending improvement. Since his early teens, Frank Murphy has always been interested in all aspects of fitness training and its promotion. A keen runner as a teenager, today, in his mid 50’s, as well as his own Kaizendo Fitness training, he enjoys cycling, swimming and also does some Chi Gung and Yoga for what he calls maintenance purposes.

The victim of an assault in 1974 prompted him taking up Boxing and he also began training in the martial art of Taekwondo under Dublin Instructor Master Aiden Walsh. He received his Black belt in 1977 under the founder General Choi, going on to win eight Irish titles and three international titles while he was on the Irish National Team from 1981 to 1983. In 1991 he went to the UK where he opened a full time martial arts academy, chaired a Taekwondo Association (GTI) from 1993 to 1998 was also a columnist for Martial Arts Illustrated magazine. He produced a series of Taekwondo videos and also became a guest speaker at martial arts conventions with Bytomic Marketing Solutions. In 1999, he was joined by his wife Catarina, a 3rd Degree Black belt in Taekwondo. Her background in Martial Arts, Nutrition, Sports Therapy and her study of a Masters Degree in Physical Education with Loughborough University helped them both to pioneer instructor courses and added to the development of Kaizendo Fitness.

Throughout his career, Frank has appeared on numerous fitness and martial arts publications and has been awarded British Instructor of the year by readers of Martial Arts illustrated for his contribution to British martial arts. Trawl through some martial art websites in the UK and find that he has taught, coached and promoted many martial artists all over Britain. With a successful full time academy from 1996 until 2004 to support him, he began researching many of the top English martial arts schools of various styles, as he continued to develop his syllabus and teaching skills. Beginning in 1997, he travelled to the USA once and sometimes twice a year to keep pace with an industry that was ahead of the UK in terms of organisation and growth.

Having held various positions within the martial arts industry over the past ten years helped him build up a wide a varied network placing him the unique position of seeing how martial arts schools on both sides of the Atlantic ran their operations. As most martial arts schools and clubs were geared for children, the young, athletic and flexible, and competitions were the emphasis, he yearned for something different. He wanted a simple solution in one workout that would be specifically geared for the adults, regardless of their age and physical capabilities.

On his return to Ireland he opened the first Kaizendo Fitness club in Mallow in 2007. Eager to create a workout for adults that was both enjoyable and motivating, that prioritised health, fitness and members safety as well as being non competitive, he continued to develop what is today known as Kaizendo Fitness. His initial first trial of Kaizendo was in Kent, U.K., ten years ago in 1999 and it had reasonable success. Presentation, feasibility and acceptance by the adult market presented one of the many challenges he has faced in bringing Kaizendo Fitness to a wider public.

Today early indications for Kaizendo Fitness are very positive. The final result is great workout in one hour that contains a unique blend of cardio vascular and resistance training, boxing drills, and the best martial arts moves combined.

It is the unique combination of the expertise of Frank and Catarina Murphy, or any of their instructors which makes Kaizendo such an enjoyable, motivational and effective activity. It will get you fit, relieve stress as well as give you the benefit of some valuable self defence both physically and psychologically.

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